(BOSTON – 2/2/2024) During the Senate’s gun bill debate yesterday, an amendment by Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) was unanimously adopted with bi-partisan support to create a legal mechanism to ensure that repeat violent offenders of gun crimes who have violated the conditions of their release can be detained until trial.
The amendment, which was supported by both the Massachusetts Chief of Police Association and the Massachusetts District Attorney Association, focuses directly on individuals without a license-to-carry who have been charged with a gun or violent offense, released following a hearing, and who subsequently have violated the conditions of that release by committing yet another gun crime or violent offense.
“If we keep allowing repeat violent firearm offenders who have no regard for the conditions of their release, our gun laws, or human life back on the streets then we are going to continue to see lives lost by senseless violence and families forever devasted by what should have been preventable,” stated Senator John C. Velis. “The violent gun crimes that we are seeing and hearing about in our communities, are overwhelmingly being committed by individuals without a legal license to have a gun, who have a known demonstrable propensity for violence, and it’s past time that we had a mechanism to address that.”
“I am fully supportive of this amendment as it will give law enforcement an additional tool in keeping victims and the general public safe from those who repeatedly pose significant risk to public safety. “ stated Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni. “We are increasingly seeing the same offenders out in our community brazenly re-offend and ignore our serious gun and drug laws. This would be a significant step in keeping law abiding people and families safe in their communities.”
“The Massachusetts Chiefs Police Association is pleased to see that Senator Velis’s amendment number six regarding repeat gun offenders has been included for consideration.” shared Chief Eric Gillis, President of the Massachusetts Chief of Police Association. “We believe that accountability for both our judiciary and gun offenders is essential for the safety of the communities that we serve.”
In the Senator’s floor remarks yesterday, he noted several recent gun crimes in Western Massachusetts that this amendment aims to address, including the arrest of an individual charged with murder just last week in Springfield. The individual had not only been convicted of a prior firearm offense but was out on bail for three separate gun charges at the time of his arrest. Senator Velis also recounted the tragic death of an infant this past fall in the City of Holyoke where an innocent pregnant woman was struck by a stray bullet while traveling on a PVTA bus resulting in devasting loss of her baby. One of the suspects charged with the infant’s horrific murder was out on bail for an unrelated open firearm charge at the time of the shooting.
“I want to commend state Senator John Velis for having the intestinal fortitude and filing this amendment. This important language will go a long way to help protect our residents and business community from repeat violent criminal offenders that time and time again continue to create mayhem on our streets and in our community through the use of violence and guns.” Shared Mayor Domenic J. Sarno (Springfield). “Thank you, Senator Velis and the Massachusetts Senate for passing this language.  I would encourage the House to do the right thing and to also adopt this language to keep our neighborhoods and streets safe and sound.”  
“This bill included many provisions, but none may be more effective at removing weapons from those proven to intend harm than this one,” commented Senator Adam Gomez (D- Springfield).“I want to thank the Senator from Westfield for offering this amendment, empowering our law enforcement to take weapons from dangerous individuals.”
“We cannot lose sight of all the people who live in constant fear of the gun violence happening right outside their front door or across the street from their child’s school on a daily basis by the offenders who are released over, and over, and over again,” said Senator Velis, who noted that the City of Springfield’s shot spotter had picked up 9 separate instances of gun fire on Wednesday afternoon, including a couple hundred yards away from an elementary school. “We have an opportunity today that would send a clear message to these violent repeat offenders- if you are released for a violent crime or unlawful gun offense and go back into our communities and cause more of the same havoc you will be detained until your trial, and we will not let you cause more senseless harm.”
With the amendment included in the Senate’s final gun bill, the legislation will now be a part of the House-Senate negotiations on a final compromise bill.
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